So Close But So FarAfter many years of waiting we have finally had a season where our involvement was in the top third of the table rather than the bottom.

Yes, the result against Plymouth was a disappointment but Pompey were simply not good enough on the day.

It has be a season of (mostly) good skillful football from Pompey with some hard fought comebacks but all to many lapses in the last few minutes that in the end cost us automatic promotion.

Pompey still have to learn how to deal effectively with very negative tactics from the less skillful and more robust opposition.

Ben Davies has been superbBen Davies has been superb throughout the season and our centre backs have been formidable whether it was Burgess and Webster or Clarke and Barton did well as stand in when needed. Stevens was unlucky to start every league match and contributed to one of the best defences in the division. Doyle’s effort and inspiration won many a point and together with Hollands gave a level of robustness that we had previously lacked without picking up too many yellow cards. Close gave us something more refined which worked against the more talented opposition but not the rest.

Evans had some great games early on when he was fit but faded at the end of the season – still a better option than McGurk in my opinion. Similarly Gary Roberts could dominate a match but only when fully when fit. The best forward partnership was Lavery and McNulty, unfortunately too short and both loan players.

Chaplin is clearly highly skillful, motivated and everybody likes “one of our own” – but his style is a bit like Tubbs – effective when he has the right person to play off but that was all too infrequent. Saying that his combination with Tollitt (one for the future) for the goal at Wycombe was superb. Bennet reflected Pompey’s season – astonishingly good at times but far too inconsistent.

Goalkeeping was a bit of a fiascoGoalkeeping was a bit of a fiasco – thankfully our defence protected them.

Paul Cook isn’t a miracle worker but did well to build a team from very little. The core of an even better team is already in place but we need to bring in 6 or 7 to ensure promotion: 2 strikers, an attacking midfielder (cover for Evans / Roberts) a defensive midfielder – cover for Doyle or replacement for Hollands if he does not settle a new deal (keeping Close and May) a good right back (again as cover or replacement for Davies) and of course a goalkeeper or two.

I would very much regret any changes to the management – one year is never enough but we need even more success this coming season.

We have everything to look forward to and not too much to do to get promoted.